Blogs

The year 2024 has officially been declared “the worst year for bumblebees since records began” by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. While out in the field surveying pollinators across southern England, GWCT researchers also noticed a shocking decline in bee numbers compared to previous years. And they were not alone. What’s behind these declines?

There’s a lot of talk about the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme. The SFI has not ended. Because the scheme was so good farmers have piled into it enthusiastically and all the money is now committed.

Farmers are not expecting free handouts, they are able and willing to play a central role in restoring nature for fair reward and it’s critical that Government keeps them on board for the benefit of all.

The suggestion that the solution to the “Nature Crisis” is through further SSSI designation is a flawed concept. Many of the existing SSSI sites are already not meeting their conservation objectives – simply adding more will not help.

Defra has unveiled the new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme, a key part of its Environmental Land Management (ELM) initiative. 

The GWCT’s Allerton Project demonstration farm has joined the Central England branch of the Environmental Farmers Group.

In this blog, Joe Stanley, Head of Sustainable Farming at the GWCT Allerton Project, explores why cutting agri-environment schemes like the Countryside Stewardship Capital Grant is a shortsighted move. He highlights how these cuts erode farmers’ trust, delay critical environmental progress, and risk pushing agriculture toward unsustainable intensification. Joe argues that investing in nature-friendly farming is essential for achieving climate, biodiversity, and food security goals, warning that failing to do so now will lead to far greater costs in the future.

With Defra allocating £5 billion to farming and the environment over the next two years, here’s a breakdown of what’s changing and how it could impact you.

We’d like to welcome Logan Crimp to the GWCT Wales Team as our brand new Agriculture and Conservation Officer. Logan is a fluent Welsh speaker and will be a great asset to the team.

Discover how the innovative "3Rs" approach can revolutionise conservation practices and learn why resilience, regenerative farming, and rewilding are key to sustainable wildlife management